Apparatus for testing lubricants



Novi 18, G. A. UNGAR APPARATUS FOR TESTING LUBRICANTS Filed July 19, 1922 S Shun-Sheet 1 my, l., 3924 G. A. UNGAR- PARATUS FOR TESTING'LURICANTS 5 Shun-Shut 2 Filed July 19, 1922 INVENTOR No ze, m24. 1,515,914

G. AIUNGAR Armmus von 'rssxue wmcAm-s med July 19. 1932 w s shun-snm s I mvENToR Patented Nov. 18, 1924.

Y UNiTED s'rATEs yla'rifzlv'r OFFICE.

GUsrAvE A. UNGAR, or EELHAM MANOR, NEW YoEK, assIGNoEmo JOSEPH DIXON onUcIELE COMPANY, QE JERSEY CITY, NEW :JEEsEY, a coEroEATIoN 0E NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS- EonY TESTING L'cnzltrcaN'rs.

Application filed July 19, 1922. Serial No. 575,945.

To all whom tuner/concern.

Be it known that I, GUSTAVE A. UNGAR, a citizen of the United States, residin in Pelham Manor, in the countyA of Weste iester and State of New York, have inventedA certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Testing Lubricants, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an apparatus for testing lubricants, such as lubricating oils and greases.

The object of the invention is produce an apparatus having provision for subjecting the lubricant to the eiiects of mechanical agitation or friction, varying degrees of tem erature, moisture and ozone, so that the e qua ities o'f the lubricant may be determined within a relatively short time without the necessity of subjecting it to actual service tests, which are often long drawn out and expens1ve,and for that.reason unsatisfac- `tory. The intensive eii'ect ot' the various agents to which the lubricant is subjected will speedily produce chemical changes in inferior lubricants. Thus a chemical analy.- sis of the lubricant which has been tested willvdetermine whether there has been any increase in the content of free acid and al- Itali and whether any hardening or gumxning oi? the lubricant is noticeable. It is of especial importance to determine these facts with respect to lubricants used for roller or anti-friction bearings. Accordingly, means are provided in the apparatus for subjecting an anti-friction bearing to direct contact with the lubricant being tested. The lubricant testing apparatus of the present invention is'more fully described in the 'follou-'ing specification and is particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention.l Fig. l is a `vertical longitudinal section through substantially Athe middle of one form of the lubricant. testing apparatus; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the upper part of the apparatuv i shown in Fig. l: Fig. 3 is a vertical transbricants, as illustrated in the drawings,

comprises means for subjecting 'the lubri" cant, such asv oil or'grease, to"m echanical friction or agitation.I .Slightly different means will be employed for agitating 'or stirring oils and greases.'I Means are lalso provided for subjecting the lubricant to a predetermined amount of heat or cold,

moisture and ozone "during the period of agitation. These meansare provided for determining within a relatively shorttime the eiect of the usual -factors to which lubricants are subjected in actual service.

The lubricant being testedis placed in. a

closed chamber. Where it is-subjectcd to mechanical. lfriction and stirring. 4This chamber' 5 is surrounded-by'a suitable arf.vfA

ranged Water' 'jacket 6," the construction' of which vis clearly indicated in the drawings Vand'does not requirea detailed description purpose of Subjectin the lubricant to the effects of heat or col according to the nature of thelubricant'or the purpose in View.

has been found desirable to test it in an apparatus constructedas indicated in 'Fig'. l. If the lubricant to be tested is oil, lan apparatus vconstructed as shown in Fig. 4 will be used. 'These two apparatus both 76 thereof. .The'water jacket may be filled with water, brine or other liquid vfor Vthe 80 If the lubricant being tested isa grease, it

subject the lubricantto mechanical agita- `V tion and friction, to the effec-ts of heat or cold, Amoisture and ozone, but differ somewhat in the mode of subjecting 'the lubricant to -these factors. For convenience of description theapparatus shown in Fig.v1 will be described first. i

The 'lubricating grease to be tested in vthe apparatus shown in Fig. l is subjected to the required meehanicalagitation or stirring by means of a spiral 7 mounted on a' shaftor spindle 8 jonrnaled at one end in the anti-friction bearings 9 and 10 and at the other end inthe anti-friction bearing 11. The. bearings 9 and. 10 are supported in a casing l2 secured to one'end of the frame of theapparatusby means of cap screws 13. The easing 12,-is entirelyv enclosed and the lubricant for the bearings 9 andi() is not permit-ted to mingle with the lubricant undergoing the test. For this purpose a gasket 15 is provided. This construction of -maks-:fir

.apparatus simply unscrewing the ca screws 13. The spiral may be remove without disturbing the bearings 9 and 10. The spindle-is provided at one end with a pulley 16 which is driven from any suit-f Vol. the apparatus.

The water jacket entirely surrounds the chamber 5, except at its top side. A convenient medium for conveyingheat to the lubricant being tested in water, because this medium also furnishes the necessary moisture.v When' the lubricant is subjected tothe elects of cold, it will be convenient to circulate brine in .the water jacket. Other media for controlling` the temperature of the lubriant being tested may be employed. Various sources 'of heat may be used. In

. the illustrated apparatu's two electric heat- U 27 connecte jacket.

throu h the opening 30, which may be closedg by a plug.i The used liquid may be drawn of through the ing coils -20 and 21 'are located in the bottom section 22 of the water jacket. The chamber 5 and the water .'jacket. are closed'at their top side by means of a cover 24,.the depressed middle portion 26 of which constitutes 'the up ersidc of a U- shaped passage at each end with'thechamber 5. AThe ends 28 and 29 of the depressed portion 26 of the cover are so arranged as to permit vapor from the water jacket 6 to pass into the chamber 5 and at the same time to prevent the lubricating grease circulating in passa 27 frompassing into the water iquid is placed in the water jacket lug-closed hole 31.

In order to subject t e lubricant tothe effects of ozone, a suitable spark plu 32 is mounted in one end' of the cover with its oles 33 projecting down into the water jacket, but above the level of the -li hid therein. The spark plug may be supp ied with electricity from either a magneto or an-ignition system. To rmit the air iinpregnated with ozone to circulate freely and thus bring the ozone in contact with the lubricant, a space 34 is left between the end 28 of the cover 24 and the wall 35 ofthe water jacket. There is no' liability of the lubricant passing through the space 34 into the watery jacket, because the lubricant cirvculates in the passageway 27 in the direction of the arrow. The temperature of the liquid in the 'water jacket and the temperature of the lubricant i'n the chamber 5 ma) 'be d e-' termned by providing suitable openings in lubricant in the chamber 5.

which are located the thermometers or therino-couplers 38 and 39.

' When the apparatus, as illustrated in Fig.

l, is to be used to test the lubricating qualities of a particular grease, a definite quaxitity of the grease is inserted in the chamber 5. This may be done by removing the bearing casings l2 and 18. The liquid in the water jacket is then brought to the desired test temperature, either high or low, which 75 i temperature shouldbe maintained constantly uring the test.- The spark plug is then sct in operation' and power is applied to' the spindle. The .rotation of the spiral forces the grease into the U-shaped passageway 27 80 throughtlie discharge opening 4l and the lubricant returns to vthe cylindrical part of the chamberV 5 through the inlet openino 42. Thus thereis a complete circulation of the During the test the lubricant is maintained at the requisite temperature and is subjected to air saturated with moisture and ozone. Thus the lubri-- cant being tested undergoes the effects of the factors which play the largest part in actual service.

It is sometimes desirable to study the e fect of a load upon the test bearing, inasl much as the effects upon the lubricant-.are likelyto be different than when no load is carried. For this purpose the test vbearin is subjected to a thrust load, the amount o wliich'inay be varied according to conditions. A convenient means for securing this result is shown in Fig. 4 where the apparatus .190 is provided with a coil spring 45 arranged to exert a load upon the test bearing-46 which corresponds to the test bearing 11 of Fig. 1. The spring 45 is housed in 'a casing 47 removably secured to the end of the ap- 10.5 params. In this modified Yform of apparatus the shaft or spindle 48 is supported at both ends, the single bearing at one end being indicated at 49 and double bearings,'lo cated in the casing 47, being indicated at 50. Whether the spindle arrangement shown in F ig. 1 or the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 will be employed, will depend upon the nature of the lubricant being tested and the character of the test. 115

The forward end of the spring 45 presses against la head 52 and the rear end of the spring is engaged by the cap 53. The pressure of the s ring is communicated to the bearing 46 t rou h the head 52 and the 120 sleeve 54 u ony w ich the bearings 50 are.

' mounted. n order that the thrust load,`im-

posed upon the bearing 46 by the spring .45, maybe varied according to conditions, an. externally threaded nut 56 is received in the 120 rear open end of the casing 47. A slotted finger 57 pivoted ati 58 on the nut 56 and ar. ranged so that its free endis detchably heldby the fi'yfnut 59 holds the'nut 56 in adj usted position. The pins 60 and 61which are 131! respectively lsecured vin the head 52 and the cap 53are adaptedto be received in the slotted linger 5,7 and to indicateby their :distance .apart theamountthe spring 45 has been compressed.. The spring .may-'thus be accuratelylcalibra'ted. The 'thrust is suitableor the purpose of subjecting the-test A bearing to' a load, Ibecause it is destructive upon Athe ball bearing fand because it conduces to simplicityof design. There the lubricant to be tested is an oil,

it has been oundvthat the mechanical agi tation and stirring requisite vto secure the desired degree of'friction, can be secured by using a .paddle wheel, as vindicated at 65 in Fig. 4. The :paddle wheelserves only-to agitate orstir ther'oil .within the chamber 66 Without imparting a circulatory movement thereto, as is the case where grease is being tested. The churning eli'ect on the oil within the chamber 66 may be increased bypro viding a series ofinwardly projecting Aribs 67. These ribs -67 `also'serve to intensifythe temperature effects, Yeither l'hot or cold. *F or some tests the ribs may be omitted. The chamber-66 is surrounded by a Water -jacket 68 which vcorresponds to the water jacket 6 .of Fig. 1. The ozone is produced by the spark plug 69. The fchamber 66 is charged throu h the passages 70 which are high enoug to prevent the oil from being splashed into the water jacket. In its other features another kind of lubricant, the various parts rants. and, different kinds of tests on lubrcants,

of the apparatus with which the lubricant has been in Contact are thoroughly cleaned with a' suitable solvent.

By takingjeguent readings of the power required to vtt trr il'the spindle itis possible to arriventaccurate relative values with rc spect tfthe consistency, -at various temperatures, oiz' the .lubricant being tested. This is of especial value in the case of differentl oils, particularly when the oil is in a semiplastic condition or When it has ceased to flow. It is'thus possible to compare satisfactor-ily the consistencies of dilt'erent lubri- It will be obvious that various other whether grease or oil, may be carried out in the present apparatus.

Marly u'iodilications in the construction anrlgirljapgement ofthe various parts of the lubricant testing apparatusl'umay be made.

andV which will be determined partly by the character of the lubricantto be tested' andpartly bythe temperature range for which investigation is desired.

Having .thus described the iinvention-xv-liat .Y i

I claim as new is: i

1-. An apparatus for testinglubricants and the like comprising a chamber adapted to contain the lubricant tn be tested, meansfolA4 mechanically stirring the lubricant, and

means forjsubjecting the lubricant to the effects of ozone produced by an electric spark.

2. An apparatus vfor testing lubricants and the like comprisinga chamber. adapted .to contain the-lubricant to .be tested, and Ameans for subjecting the lubricant tothe effects-of the effects of moistureand electricity according to the vrequirements of the test. y

4. An apparatus v.for testing `lubricantsand :the like "comprising a chamber adapted 'to contain the lubricant to'be tested, means for agitating the lubricant, means for controlling'the temperature 'of the lubricant, means tor exposing the lubricant to a predeter mined degree of moisture, and means for subjecting the lubricant to the effect of ozone.

5. An apparatus for testing lubricants and the like comprising a chamber adapted Ato contain thelubricant to be tested, means for subjecting the lubricant'to the effects of mechanical friction and agitation, and means for subjecting the lubricant to the effects of moisture.

6. An apparatus for testing lubricants and the like comprising a chamber adapted to contain the lubricant to be tested, means for agitating the lubricant, and a bearing connected with the agitating means and mounted in the chamber so as to be in contact with' the lubricant being tested.

7. An apparatus for testing lubricants and the like comprising a chamber adapted to contain the lubricant to be tested, means for agitating the lubricant, a bearing connected with the agitating means and mounted in the chamber so as to be in contact with the lubricant being tested, and means for imposing a load on the bearing;

8. An apparatus for testing lubricants and the like comprising a chamber adapted to contain the lubricant to be tested, means for stirring the lubricant, means for introducing moisture into the chamber, and meansfor causing an electric spark in the chamber.

9. An apparatus for testing lubricants and.

the likecomprising'a chamber adapted ,'to

contain the lubricant to be tested, agitating means mounted in the chamber for subjectthe lubricant to mechanical agitation and friction, a hollow jacket enclosing the-v chamber and adapted to contain liquid, there being an open passage'between thechamber `,and the jacket, means for controlling the temperature of the liquid contents ofthe jacket, and means for causing an electric spark in the chamber. .A

10. An apparatus for testing lubricants and the like comprising a chamber adapted' to contain the lubricant to be tested, a hollow jacket surrounding the chamber and adapted to contain liquid, means for regu- A lating the temperature of the liquid, means for causing an electric spark in the chamber, a shaft extending through the chamber, l means mounted on the shaft for stirring the;

and the like comprising a chamber ada ted' tocontain the lubricant to be tested, -a s aft cant, a ball .bearing connected with the shaft and mounted in the chamber so as to be in contact with the lubricant being tested, a spring arranged to exert'its pressure uon the ball bearing mounted in the cham r,

and means for regulating the tension of-'the mi4 spring.

GUSTXV A; UNGAR.

`extendingtlirough the chamber, means mounted 'on the shaft for stirring the lubri- 

